#7 Postby Miss Mary » Mon Aug 16, 2004 6:35 pm
Dennis - didn't know Michelle had this allergy too. It's scary, to say the least!
I was 38 when stung by a yellow jacket and within about 20 minutes my symptoms started - swelling/itching at the sting site, hives, swelling to my face, neck, eyes, intense itching on hives, head felt very-very odd - dizzy is an understatement. Since my oldes has a peanut allergy, I knew enough to know this was a life threatening allergy. I took some of her Benadryl but didn't use her Epi-pen. Went to a medfirst and sure enough I was having an anaphylactic reaction. Before all was said and done, I had two oral drugs, two shots, on top of the Benadryl I had. I went to use a phone to call Jim to come get us (kids were with me, they were quite little then) and the bottoms of my feet were swollen - it was hard to walk. Nurse said don't take your shoes off, you'll never get them back on. By this time the meds had started working and swelling was going down. I had to leave my car, couldn't drive (felt like I had drank a 6 pack, that's putting it mildly) and had to take Benadryl round the clock for 5 full days (otherwise symptoms could return). It was scary! Since then I've carried Benadryl and an Epi-pen with me. Got stung by a wasp but that reaction was below the knee (sting site was on my calf while cutting grass). If swelling went above the knee, then I had to head to the ER. Now when I get stung by a bee, I immediately take Benadryl, ice the sting site and sit in the hospital ER parking lot if I can. Sounds silly I know, but we have lousy insurance now. At least I won't need an ambulance this way. Been 11 years since I've had the anaphylactic reaction but I'm still really careful. And prior to that I didn't have this allergy - doctors told me people develop allergies like this later in life. Oh great huh? Two year later, I turned the big 4-0. My gray began to multiply, at 41 eyes went. I began to wonder - what next? Well, serioulsy I know now - gasp, cancer at 43. But honestly, since 43, I've been okay. Knock on wood - I shouldn't have posted that, gonna jinx myself now! Yikes.
Mary
0 likes